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The
Charles County Arts Alliance and the College of Southern Maryland, Fine
Arts Center are combining resources to bring a Flamenco Dance Concert to
Charles County. Make your reservations and mark your calendar for
April 2, 2006 at 2:00 pm
when the Ana Martinez y Paco de Malaga Flamenco Dance Company
will present a festive afternoon of Hispanic dance and music.
Tickets are $10.00 for all ages and may be obtained by calling the CSM
Box Office at 301-934-7828, 301-870-3008, ext. 7828, TDD 301-934-1188,
or by sending an e-mail to
boxoffc@csmd.edu.
But, what is Flamenco Dance? The following article, reprinted with
permission from the author Ulrike Frank
(www.frankflamenco.com),
answers that question very well:
Dance
~ Baile ~
tapping heels, floating skirts, hands slowly turning
Music ~ Musica ~ guitar tones that sometimes caress,
sometimes strike
Singing ~ Cante ~ a strong, rough voice that almost breaks
the air |
A lot has been written about the art of
flamenco. Since it has been influenced by so many different cultures, it
is hard to determine its origin and meaning. According to a dictionary,
flamenco is a style of dancing, playing and singing, characteristic of
the Andalusian gypsies; vigorous and rhythmic with clapping and stamping
of feet, mostly accompanied by guitar.
The flamencologist J.M. Caballero Bonald claims that flamenco began to
emerge at the end of the 18th century, although there is evidence to
suggest that primitive forms were quietly gestating in gypsy enclaves in
southern Andalusia (a region of Spain) much earlier than that. |
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The genealogy of flamenco is linked with a
long series of musical contributions, such as Hindu and Greek psalms,
Gregorian chants, Persian melodies, Mozarabic dirges, Jewish laments,
Morisco songs, Castilian romances, and African and Latino rhythms. These
ingredients, fused with indigenous Andalusian rhythms, eventually gave
rise to a new musical structure which came to be known as flamenco.
Moorish, Jewish and Arab influences were of great importance, but
clearly the most important one was the gypsy. When Spain was going to
become Christian, the gypsies had to leave the country or flee to the
mountains. Many people think that el cante jondo del flamenco, the
great, true form of singing was born during these difficult times. The
cante jondo is fundamental for all the artists who are performing today.
The cante was
first sung a palo seco, without instruments, only using a stick
hitting the ground, clapping, or knuckles knocking at a table. It
changed in the latter half of the 19th century, called the Golden Age.
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Jondo, competition.
These competitions led to the many flamenco tablaos, bars, festivals and
other venues we have nowadays worldwide, to enjoy the mastery of the
flamenco artists on stage and via audible and visible recordings.The
competitions also led to another very important change regarding the
performers, because eventually they gave opportunities for payos,
non-gypsies, to showcase their talents. Many of the artists we admire
today are both gypsies and payos, but sometimes strong feelings arise
when these two groups meet. Fortunately, many of the artists today, work
side by side in the one interest: to develop this magnificent art. |
That was the first time gypsies performed
flamenco outside their own families. A great era of Cafe Cantantes
followed, when now both guitarists and dancers joined the singers, to
perform at various flamenco cafes.
An art that had
always been performed in an improvised style then became programmed to
be shown at set times and with certain artists. This killed el puro,
the true, feeling of the art,and it took until 1922 for it to bloom
again. Then, Federico Garcia Lorca, a famous Spanish poet, and other
intellectual aficionados, organized the first Concurso del Cante
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We payos have to understand, though, that
flamenco captures a Spanish cultural tradition that is centuries old, a
tradition that we, in all humility, should treat with utmost respect and
cherish deep within our souls. The gypsies express their way of life,
their love, sorrow, happiness and frustration by singing, playing and
dancing, and they are graciously sharing it with us.
"When I am
performing, both as a dancer and a teacher, I will always consider
myself one of the payos, simply grateful to be able to do what I love
the most - ibailar flamenco!" ~ Ulrike Frank |
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The flamenco dance
company that will be performing on Sunday, April 2, 2006 at the
College of Southern Maryland, Fine Arts Center, La Plata Campus at
2:00 pm is the Ana Martinez y Paco de Malaga Dance Company (as seen
in these pictures). Founded by the husband and wife team of Ana and
Paco, the dance company promises to present to the residents of
Southern Maryland and their guests an afternoon of enjoyable
flamenco, known for its passion articulated not only through the
dance, but through guitar music and lyrics as well.
Come on out and enjoy the fun. Make your reservations today! |
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